About Intensive Youth Services (IYS)
The Intensive Youth Services (previously called IOP) at Health Solutions provides structured group interventions tailored to the developmental needs of youth. These interventions are designed to increase and generalize pro-social coping skills, promote emotional well-being, enhance emotion regulation strategies, and support community integration.
IYS program empowers youth through compassionate, evidence-based care. Located at 1591 Taos Rd. in Pueblo, Colorado, the program offers a structured and supportive environment tailored to the developmental and emotional needs of young clients.
IYS Group Overview
The program is structured around four specialized groups to meet the unique needs of different age groups. High School and Middle School groups operate from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., while Elementary School groups run from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Elementary School groups are further divided into Older Elementary (3rd–5th Grade) and Younger Elementary (Kindergarten–2nd Grade). Each group supports up to 10 clients per day.
Facilitators place a strong emphasis on building healthy relationships with clients while creating a nurturing and therapeutic environment and focus on fostering emotional regulation, increasing resilience and problem-solving skills, and improving social skills.
The program offers lessons in Zones of Regulation and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), experiential therapy, art therapy, along with additional evidence-based practices tailored to the individual and group needs.
IYS Team Overview
The Intensive Youth Services (IYS) team is composed of dedicated and compassionate staff committed to supporting youth through evidence-based care.
The team includes five Clinical Care Specialists (CCS): Agustin Barrios, Bradley Bertrand, Riley Harding, Shane Hollis, and Stephanie Ortega. In addition to the CCS team, Mariah Garcia-Wing serves as the IYS Liaison, facilitating communication and coordination within the program, as well as facilitating various programming within IYS. Kimberly Mahoney, LCSW, is the program’s clinician, providing therapeutic support to the youth.
Together, this team works collaboratively to foster a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for youth, with a strong emphasis on building healthy relationships and promoting emotional well-being.
IYS Experiential Therapy
Experiential activities are utilized to support youth in developing emotional resilience, self-awareness, and healthy coping strategies. These include art activities, journaling, repetitive rhythmic motion activities, mindfulness practices, climbing wall activities, and community outings.
IYS Climbing Wall
The climbing wall offers a dynamic and impactful experiential therapeutic experience. It encourages youth to confront challenges in a safe, supportive environment, fostering confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation.
As clients navigate the wall, they engage in goal-setting, problem-solving, and trust-building—skills that translate into everyday life. The activity also strengthens interpersonal relationships through peer and facilitator support, serving as a powerful metaphor for overcoming obstacles.
IYS Mindfulness and Art Activities
IYS utilizes mindfulness and art-based activities, which enhance emotional regulation and self-reflection. Through intentional creative expression, youth explore thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental space, promoting stress reduction, focus, and resilience. This approach empowers clients to express themselves authentically while building coping strategies, self-esteem, and emotional insight.
Referrals
The program is currently accepting referrals for all groups. Levels of Care (LOC) accepted are LOC C through IOP LOC.
For questions or support with referrals, individuals are encouraged to contact Laura Arellanes, the IYS Supervisor, lauraa@health.solutions, or Mariah Garcia-Wing, the IYS Liaison mariahg@health.solutions.
Health Solutions Family Center
- Monday - Friday: 7:30am - 7pm
- Saturday - Sunday: Closed